The term educational institution is here broadly defined to include not only K-12 public schools, colleges, and universities, but also educational agencies which may exist in fields such as allied health, nursing, business and industry, and government agencies at the local, state, and national levels.

This definition is based on the idea that the generic competencies of curriculum planning and development, once acquired, can be applied in any institution where the education of people is conducted. These generic competencies can be defined as establishing goals and objectives, planning and implementing programs of curriculum and instruction, and developing and instituting methods of evaluation.